Chants of “No Kings” echoed through Edgemere Park as hundreds of El Pasoans joined the nationwide day of protests against the policies of President Donald Trump.
Protesters of all ages gathered on the corner of Airport Boulevard with creative signs condemning Trump’s attacks on immigrants, in defense of U.S. democracy and echoing the popular Trump acronym, TACO — Trump Always Chickens Out.
The protest quickly spread down Edgemere Boulevard as more people continued to arrive throughout the morning for the “No Kings” protests on Saturday, June 14.
“We have to be active participants in our democracy, we can’t just sit idly by,” Christina Franco, a 55-year-old resident of El Paso, said “We don’t have kings. We have equal branches of government that have to do each of their parts.”
People started to gather before 10 a.m. and many remained after 1 p.m.
The protest coincided with the president’s 79th birthday, Flag Day, and a military parade in Washington, D.C., marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, which will include displays by troops, tanks, and other military equipment. The protests were organized to condemn Trump’s increasing overreach, disregard for the independence of the other branches of government and increasingly authoritarian actions.
The protests were peaceful, with organizers reminding the people who had gathered on the 100-plus-degree day to drink water. Police were a constant presence to guarantee the safety of those who were demonstrating.
The protesters were joined by U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, who has condemned the Trump administration’s misuse of taxpayer money, including the $45 million spent on the military parade on Saturday.
“Our country is in a very precarious moment, as we see judges ignored, as we see democratically-elected leaders arrested, thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and as we see increasing egregious corruption and self-dealing,” Escobar said. “I think most of us here understand the grave risk that our country is in. Our democracy is backsliding in a way none of us has seen in this country. Peaceful civic resistance is critical in this moment.”
Anti-Trump protests spread across the nation
Millions of people across the United States participated in anti-Trump protests Saturday in nearly 2,000 towns and cities.
The national “No Kings” protests were organized by the 50501 movement in support of the U.S.’s democracy. The movement’s name stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement.
The protest in El Paso was organized by members of the Indivisible the 915 and EPTX United groups. Organizers were happy with the turnout, said Jackie Dean, an organizer with Indivisible the 915.
Saturday’s protests follow a week that saw massive protests in Los Angeles against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in southern California. Trump deployed the California National Guard and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in response to the protests.
The protests in Los Angeles quickly spread over concerns of the heavy-handed raids by ICE.
“I am out here because they are separating families,” Rafael Pineda, a 30-year-old resident of El Paso, said during Saturday’s protest. “They are leaving scars not just in our community, but across the world. Human rights aren’t being respected. We are acknowledging that reality and that many of us are upset.”
Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@gannett.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: The U.S. has ‘No Kings’ say hundreds of El Pasoans who joined anti-Trump protest
Reporting by Jeff Abbott, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
